Have I mentioned that I love my crock pot? I should give her a name, but I wouldn’t want to upset Nancy, my GPS. I figured since I use my crock pot a lot, that I would post my favorite recipes for Manic Monday- Let’s Go Make Some Noise. I mean Soup.

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place the seared chicken thighs in the crockpot, on top of the vegetables and black beans.

Pour chicken broth and water over the chicken. Add canned tomatoes and their juices. Cover the crockpot, turn the heat to Low, and cook for about 7 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender. Remove the chicken and let cool.

Add 1/2 cup long-grain white rice to the crockpot, turn the heat to High, and cook for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Shred the chicken with two forks or your hands, and return the meat to the crockpot. Allow the soup to heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup with lime wedges.